Robert Wraith ch-4

Chapter 4... Grandpa's Stuff

     The scene cuts to Robert's garage behind his house. There are trees and bushes to the left and right surrounding the modest little house making it nearly invisible on the road. We see Robert walking up with his friends to the garage.

Robert: Whoo-hoo.
Jay: ( a tall bald man with a full beard getting some gray in it while wearing a pair of kachy short and a red Ron Jon t-shirt full of holes scoffs) Wow, you are a scary combination of me and Kenn.
Robert voiceover: This is my step-dad Jay, not neighbor Jay that redneck but the Jay I've known for most of my life. He married my mom shortly after she and my other dad, Kenn divorced right after I was born. There are times when I wish that mom and Kenn never divorced, but then again if they haddn't, I would've met my awsome friends.
Robert: I'm sorry, there's not much I can do about it. (looks around) Where's mom?
Jay: She went to make dinner if your friends are stayin' over for a while.
Will: I gotta go, my family's having chinese at Golden Palace.
Marisa: I might stay, assuming my dad doesn't beep my phone.
Jay: Well it doesn't really matter anyway, you're the only one who's allowed to see the stuff Kenn sent down.
Robert: So you and mom haven't broke into it?
Jay: No. What would give you that idea?
Robert: Just curious.
Jay: Okay. (heads to his large stainless steel grill) Well I gotts get the food on the table. Go ahead and open the box... if you can.
Robert: (scoffs) What's that supposed to mean?
Jay: You'll see. (takes the plate of grilled chicken and heads twards the house.)
Will: I should probebly hit the road.
Robert: Alright. You need a drink for the road?
Will: No thanks I'm good. See ya. (heads for his car)
Robert: Later. (looks at Marisa) You need a drink?
Marisa: Sure.
Robert: I could use something too. (opens the fridge)
Marisa: So what do you think's in the box?
Robert: I dunno, (pulls out two cans of Cream Soda and closes the door to the fridge) best guess is that it's my grandpa's personal effects.
Marisa: Really?
robert: (hands her one of the two cans)
Marisa: Thanks. (takes the can and opens right after Robert) What kind?
Robert: Oh... a leather jacket, sunglasses, dogtags maybe a wallet, possisbly even some old photos of him and grandma Betty.
Marisa: What was your grandpa like anyway?
RObert: I uh... (leans on the counter next to the fridge and puts one hand in his pocket) don't know. He died when I was about to turn three. I don't really remember him. Dad said we were as thick as leaves when I was born. But the only memory I have of him was him dying in a hospital bed. I...I... shit. (takes a sip from the soda which was more like a gulp) I didn't understand until I was five. Now just thinking about him or seeing his face in a photograph makes me wish he was still alive.
Marisa: Sorry I asked.
Robert: You don't have to apoligize for anything, curiosity is human nature. (takes another sip) So you wanna see what my dad sent?
Marisa: It's for YOUR eyes only, not anyone elses.
robert: I'm sure he won't mind letting one of my best friends see it too.
Marisa: (smiles)
Robert: (opens the door to the garage where we see an old red and white 1951 Chevy pickup and in their way of seeing the tires is a large rusty safe.) Now I know why my dad said it would be hard to open. (walks over to the safe and notices the combination lock)
Marisa: It only goes from 0 to 9.
Robert: Most safes go up to 20 making it even harder to find the combination.
Marisa: Yeah, safes today.
Robert: Good point. (kneels in front of it)
Marisa: Looks like it'll only be able to open if we find out the combination but since we don't have any hints.
Robert: We have a hint.
Marisa: (confused) We do?
Robert: My birthdate. (starts putting in the combination)
Marisa: C'mon Robert, that the oldest trick in the book, I doubt that... (Robert opens the safe) I stand corrected.
Robert voiceover: Okay, here's where things start to make no sense, I know... I was there.
They look into the safe and notice that it's bigger on the inside and it holds an even larger cardboard box.
Marisa: Wow.
Robert: That I'm sayin'. (pulls out the box for all he's worth which isn't much) Help me out here?
Marisa: (starts to help pull out the box)
The box finally comes out. It was big enough to put a dog in!
Robert: What do you say we open it?
Marisa: Hey I helped ya get it outta the safe, I've gone far enough.
Robert: Okay. (looks around for a package opener adn instead finds his dad's Harley Davidson pocket knife. Picks up the knife and extends the blade then begins cutting through the duct tape sealing the box. He opens the box and chuckles)
MArisa: What?
Robert: I was right, it is my grandpa's stuff. (takes out an old black leather jacket) His jacket comes with his name tag. (the camera closes up on a name tag saying "Slezak" then Robert puts the jacket back. Robert pulls out a peice of cardboard with pins and medels on it.) He got his wings. (puts the pins back in the box then notices something chrome at the bottom of the box) What the?
Marisa: What?
Robert: THere's something chrome in here.
Marisa: Chrome?
Robert: Yeah like motorcycle engine chrome. (fishes for the other end and finds it hard to pull out of the box) I can't get it out. Could you help me here?
Marisa: (remains silent and leans against the tool box)
Robert: Please?
Marisa: Sure. (grabs the end of the chrome)
Robert: Ready?
Marisa: Ready.
Robert: One...two...three...
They pull the chrome out of the box but not without Marisa falling on top of Robert.
Robert: (feels himself getting "excited" but looks nervous)
Marisa: (looks nervous and gets off frowning)
Robert: THat...
MArisa: ...never happened.
Robert: Gotcha. (blushes as does Marisa then turns his attention to the chrome object) A snowboard?
Marisa: (raises an eye brow) You're kidding?
They get on their feet.
robert: Well, I think we can put this in storage. (steps on the board and gets shocked by an erie blue current of electricity) GAH!!!! (the board stops zapping him and Robert falls unconscience.)
Marisa: Oh my God! (runs to Robert's side) Robert? Robert! (shakes him around) C'mon wake up!
Jay: (walks in) Hey squirt, dinner's re--HOLY SHIT!! (kneels to his step-son's side what the hell happened?!
Marisa: I dunno! He just stepped on the snowboard and-zap!
Jay: (checks for a pulse) He's okay, he's just...
Marisa: He's just what?
Jay: (shrugs) Sleeping.
Marisa's phone rings.
MArisa: (awnsers) Hello?
Mrs. White: Hey Marisa, you should come on home now.
Marisa: No I'm staying here.
Mrs. White: What? You come back home now young lady...
Marisa: (as her mom keeps talking) I'm spedning the night, see you later. (hangs up) Hold on Robert. Just hold on...
Robert voiceover: ...and then, blackout.